Cupcakes, Brownies and Muffins
by tic tac toe 03
Summary: Connect Three stumble across a bakery in New York. Will our three celebrities find love surrounded by coffee and cakes? Naitlyn, Smitchie. Very AU- Camp Rock never happened.
1. Meeting

**Cupcakes, Brownies and Muffins **

_**Summary:**__** Connect Three stumble across a bakery in New York. Will our three celebrities find love surrounded by coffee and cakes? Naitlyn, Smitchie. **_

_**Disclaimer: **__**I own nothing but the plot. **_

_**All chapters are already written otherwise I would never finish this. So you shouldn't have to wait for more than a few days for the next chapter. **_

_**Hope you enjoy. **_

Connect Three stood outside a small bakery down a side street. They had been trying to find a place for lunch where they hopefully wouldn't be recognised.

The bakery was small but bright. From what they could see there were flowers on every pine table and in pots by the door. There were pictures of New York on the walls and the brightly coloured iced cupcakes, brownies, muffins and sandwiches were arranged delicately in the counter.

"Here?" Jason asked. "Seems quiet enough." His two brothers agreed and the three of them entered the bakery hoping that the girl working inside wasn't a crazy fan.

She was dressed casually in jeans and a blue t-shirt with music notes on it. Her hair was tied back into a messy ponytail and she wore a black apron with the name Mitchie written on it.

"Hi. How can I help you?" she said looking up from where she was pouring a cup of coffee.

"Yeah can we get three sandwiches and coffees please?" Jason asked.

"Sure. It'll just be a minute." She told them. "Caitlyn is that bread ready yet." She called through to the kitchen. There was a muffled reply from the kitchen which she took to mean yes.

Seconds later a girl came through the door with a loaf of bread which she dumped on the counter. She was dressed similarly to Mitchie in her jeans and green tank top under her apron with the name Caitlyn written on it. Her hair was tied up into a messy bun.

Looking up she met Nate's eyes and the two of them remained in eye contact, frozen in place until Jason coughed loudly. Caitlyn jumped and blushed before looking over at Mitchie who was blushing too, apparently Caitlyn hadn't been the only one engaged in eye contact with one of the younger members of Connect Three.

Pulling herself together she smiled at all three of them. "Hey. I'm Caitlyn. Mitchie getting you everything you want?"

"Yeah. Do you two run this place?" Shane replied smiling at Mitchie who blushed slightly and started making the sandwiches.

"Yep- we've been here two years." Caitlyn exchanged a glance with Mitchie and switched the coffee machine on.

"You're doing well for yourself." Nate commented looking round the room.

"Thanks. What do you three do?" Caitlyn asked over her shoulder as she went through to the kitchen and returned with a tray of chocolate cupcakes which she started arranging on a cake stand.

The three guys were holding a whispered conversation over the sound of the coffee machine.

"Why are they whispering about whether or not to tell us what their job is?" Caitlyn muttered to Mitchie.

"Dunno- they're a bit weird aren't they." Mitchie whispered back sliding three coffee cups over to Caitlyn so she could start making coffee. After having been best friends for ten years and running their bakery for two they knew how each other worked and could work together without talking.

"We're Connect Three." Jason told them. The three of them stared at Caitlyn and Mitchie waiting for their reaction.

"I thought I recognised you from somewhere." Mitchie looked up. "Sandwiches are done." She slid them over the counter.

"Not trying to sound self-centred but aren't you going to run and tell everyone you know." Shane looked slightly confused.

"Believe it or not we're not crazy fan girls." Caitlyn replied. "Besides we thought you might like too eat your lunch in peace and quiet."

"Thanks." Nate said taking his coffee from her. "You two want to join us."

"We've had lunch but thanks." Caitlyn declined.

"I'm sure you can take another break." Shane said. "You look exhausted."

"Well you just missed the lunch hour and we had what seems like thousands of customers." Mitchie groaned.

"Well then take a break. If someone comes in one of you can go and serve them." Jason suggested.

Mitchie turned to Caitlyn. "Do you need to make anything else this afternoon?" Caitlyn swept an expert eye over the counter and shook her head. "Fine we'll have a break."

Finally the five of them were settled round a table with coffee, sandwiches and cupcakes.

"Have you guys got a concert tonight?" Mitchie asked.

"Yeah. Are you guys coming?" Shane asked.

"I thought Caitlyn had already told you this." Mitchie muttered. "We're not really fans."

"Why not?" Nate asked looking slightly offended as did his brothers.

"Your music it doesn't really speak. You don't mean what you sing." Caitlyn started, trailing off at the look on their faces. The three of them looked both slightly amused and offended. "Why are you looking at us like that?"

"It's just that we agree with you. Our label forces us to play that music because they think that the type of music we play won't sell." Jason smiled at them.

"You don't seem that upset about it." Mitchie commented.

"Well when it's been happening for two or three years you get used too it and well we've kind of turned it into a joke." Shane said, finishing his sandwich.

"That's kind of sad." Mitchie sighed.

Shane smiled at her. "Thanks but its ok."

Caitlyn drained her coffee and stood up. "I should get back to the kitchen. I've got a whole load of washing up to do but it was great to meet you." She smiled at all of them, her gaze resting on Nate for a few seconds longer than necessary. She returned to the kitchen and in the silence that followed they could hear her singing to herself.

"You like her." Shane turned to Nate who blushed and denied it.

"If it makes you feel better she's single." Mitchie said. "As am I." She smiled sweetly at them and returned to the counter where she flicked the radio on and started serving the customer who had entered.

"Well you like Mitchie." Nate shot back at Shane once he was confident that she couldn't hear them.

"And I think they both like you two." Jason smirked at his two younger brothers. "We need to go." When they looked reluctant to do so he added. "We can come back soon to see them."

_**Hope you enjoyed it- please review and tell me what you think- good or bad? Thank you for reading (and maybe reviewing). I will post the next chapter in a few days if I get enough reviews/ faves /alerts or hits- basically enough support. Thanks. **_

_**Tac xxx **_


	2. Dates?

**Cupcakes, Brownies and Muffins **

**Chapter 2 **

_**Hey everyone,**_

_**Due to all the reviews, alerts, favourites, hits I am giving you chapter 2- aren't you lucky. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed chapter one. You guys are amazing- thank you so much. **_

_**Tacxx**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. **_

"Do you think we'll ever see them again?" Mitchie asked Caitlyn as the two of the settled down in front of the TV with a tub of ice cream each.

Caitlyn dug her spoon into her chocolate fudge brownie ice cream. She had noticed the sparks between Shane and Mitchie and hoped that they would. Mitchie had been involved in so many bad relationships and Caitlyn hoped that finally her friend would find love.

She herself had found herself attracted to Nate and had felt a connection between them and it was enough to scare her. While Mitchie had been involved in a few serious relationships all of which had left her broken Caitlyn tended to see someone for a few dates and then drop them. She had never felt anything like what she felt for Nate before and she was terrified.

"Maybe." She said thoughtfully. "I'm pretty sure Shane won't mind seeing you again anyway."

Mitchie swallowed a mouthful of cookie dough. "Do you think so?"

"Well not if you eat with your mouthful." Caitlyn teased. "No seriously. He could hardly take his eyes off you."

Mitchie smiled at her friend. "Well after you left Nate admitted that he liked you?" She studied Caitlyn carefully waiting for her reaction. Caitlyn smiled back at her friend and returned to her ice cream. It wasn't much but Mitchie was certain that Caitlyn liked him back. She just hoped that Caitlyn wouldn't scare herself into refusing him- if they ever saw him again.

Two days later Mitchie came out from the kitchen where she had been talking to Caitlyn to find Shane Gray standing by the counter.

"Hey- how are you?" she smiled at him looking round the room for his two brothers. Nate and Jason were standing a few metres away watching them. When they noticed Mitchie looking at them they raised a hand in greeting and she smiled back.

"Good thanks- you?"

"Fine." She replied. "I hear your concert went well." At his questioning look she elaborated. "Lots of our customers went and have been talking about it ever since. Can I get you anything?"

"A black coffee please" Shane said, scanning the counter for anything else. Mitchie nodded and grabbed a cup.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"A date?" Shane said casually.

Mitchie looked up startled. Catching the amused look on his face she grinned. "Sure name a time and place."

"Tomorrow, 7pm location a surprise." Shane shot back.

"Looking forward to it already." Mitchie laughed, sliding his coffee across the counter. "Now do you brothers want anything?"

The two of them came forward looking slightly sheepish. It was obvious the two of them had been listening in.

"Is Caitlyn around?" Nate asked blushing slightly.

"Through the back." Mitchie replied, gesturing him through.

Nate slipped round the counter and through to the kitchen. Caitlyn was piping some butter icing onto the freshly backed cupcakes singing along to the radio.

"Hey." Nate said, causing Caitlyn to jump and spill icing sugar down the front of her apron. "Sorry." He apologised trying not to laugh at her.

Caitlyn glared at him and threw some over him. "Now we're even." The two of them stared at each other for a second before bursting out laughing.

"Anything exciting happening out there." She asked between her giggles.

"Shane and Mitchie are going on a date tomorrow." Nate filled her in noticing how her hair was falling out of her ponytail the end of which was white from where she had got icing sugar in it.

"And I was wondering whether you would like to do the same." Nate asked looking slightly nervous. He had been thinking about her ever since he had first met her and he knew that Shane had been thinking about Mitchie, something which Jason was constantly teasing them about.

Caitlyn stared at him. On one hand she was dying to say yes. He had been on her mind ever since and since she had never felt like this before for any guy she was scared. Mitchie's experiences had put her off love forever but yet Mitchie wasn't too scared to say yes to Shane and in many ways Shane and Nate were more likely to hurt them because they were famous.

"Caitlyn?" Nate asked snapping his fingers in front of her face. She took a deep breath and answered him- her mind was made up.

A couple of minutes later Caitlyn and Nate returned to the shop area Caitlyn carrying a tray of cupcakes covered in bright colours of icing.

"Hey." Caitlyn greeted Shane and Jason and she and Mitchie started placing the cakes in the stand on the top of the counter.

Shane raised his eyebrows at his brother and Mitchie stared meaningfully at her friend. "We're going out tomorrow night." Nate sighed at the nosiness of his brother.

The guys stayed a little longer, sitting at the table closest to the counter so they could talk to the girls. Caitlyn was in and out of the kitchen, baking a batch of brownies and cleaning up the kitchen after herself as well as helping Mitchie make coffee and serve the steady stream of customers.

"Shane- can I have a word?" Caitlyn asked as she passed their tables with a plastic tub full of empty cups and plates. He looked slightly surprised but followed her into the kitchen.

"Don't you dare hurt her." Caitlyn warned him once they were in the kitchen out of Mitchie's hearing. Shane passed her a glass to stack in the dishwasher a job which she was doing rather violently.

"I wasn't planning on it." He answered looking slightly scared of the fierce girl standing in front of him.

"Good- because she's been hurt way too many times to count by heartless jerks. And if you do then you'll have me to answer too." Caitlyn glared at him.

"I won't." Shane promised her. She studied him for a second before relaxing her glare. "You don't have to help me do that. Go and talk to Mitchie- the more you talk to each other beforehand the less awkward your date will be."

"Well them I'll send Nate in." Shane smirked at her making his way out of the kitchen.

Connect Three left half an hour later agreeing to pick both the girls up at 7pm tomorrow. Mitchie was instructed to dress smartly, Caitlyn causally as neither guy would tell them where they were going.

However, Shane had grilled Caitlyn for where Mitchie would like to go and Nate had done the same to Mitchie.

It was obvious to most people that Caitlyn was more of a tomboy and the more you got to know her the more you found that she had a fiery temper, was very sarcastic and very organised. Mitchie was practically the opposite- laid back, calm, disorganised and preferred shopping and dressing up smartly.

One thing both of them had in common was music- Mitchie loved writing and singing her own songs while Caitlyn preferred producing music as well as dancing. Besides music both girls loved baking and their jobs. Mitchie preferred cooking savoury foods which was why she made the sandwiches at the bakery and dinner at home and Caitlyn did the cooking at the bakery and the desserts at home.

"I can't believe we have dates with Connect Three!" Mitchie chattered away as the two of them made their way down the streets of New York after work. "Maybe they'll play us some of the music they write. I wonder where Shane's taking me."

As Mitchie rambled on Caitlyn tuned out. She was preoccupied with thinking about her date with Nate. She did really like him something an idea that she was now coming round too. Although her acceptance of her feelings hadn't stopped her from feeling scared. She would just have too wait and see what happened.

_**Thanks for reading! **_

_**Lots of love**_

_**Tacxxx**_


	3. Smitchie Date

**Cupcakes, Brownies and Muffins **

**Chapter 3 **

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing apart from the plot. **_

Caitlyn was lying on Mitchie's bed watching her friend dig through her closet trying to find a suitable outfit. They had fifteen minutes until Shane and Nate were due and as usual Mitchie was cutting it fine.

Caitlyn had been ready for the last hour not because she was overly excited but more because that was who she was. But as usual although Mitchie was the one who was running late Caitlyn was the one panicking for her.

"Come on Mitchie they'll be here soon." She groaned rolling over onto her stomach and looking at the clock. "You'll look great in whatever dress you decide to wear."

Mitchie gave her the _you don't understand _pitying look that she often gave Caitlyn when it came to clothes; make up, hair and boys. Caitlyn herself was dressed in shorts and a yellow tank top with her hair loose around her face and sunglasses perched on the top of her head keeping her wildly curly hair from getting in her face too much.

"What about this one?" Mitchie said holding up a knee length crimson dress which she had worn to her cousin's wedding the year before. Caitlyn rolled her eyes and gave her friend the thumbs up. She had seen way too many dresses in the past ten minutes to have the energy to think up any more positive words.

Ten minutes later Mitchie had the crimson dress on with her hair pulled back into an elegant yet messy bun and had light make up on.

With the getting ready part out of the way both girls allowed the butterflies to overtake them and they sat in silence- Mitchie curled up in a chair and Caitlyn perched on the kitchen table.

The sound of the intercom alerted them to the guy's arrival. They sent each a panicked glance and for once Caitlyn got the impression that Mitchie was a worried and nervous as she was.

Caitlyn was right- Mitchie was incredibly nervous (after all it wasn't everyday that you got a date with a celebrity) but she could tell that Caitlyn was also scared of her feelings towards Nate which also meant that she wasn't going to move any time soon to open the door.

"Hey." She smiled as she opened the door, hoping desperately that Caitlyn would join her soon. "Come in- we're both ready."

Shane hugged her briefly before going into the apartment to greet Caitlyn who was still sitting on the table staring out the window.

"Is she ok?" Nate asked looking slightly concerned as he noticed Caitlyn's vacant look.

"Yeah." Mitchie said. "Just look after her. She's a bit fragile whatever she likes everyone else to think." She smiled over at her friend who was now talking quietly to Shane.

"Will do." Nate reassured her before heading over to Caitlyn.

"Ready?" Shane asked her. Mitchie nodded, grabbing her phone and keys and chucking them into her bag. Glancing over at Caitlyn she realised that she might need some reassurance.

"He's not going to bite Caitlyn." She muttered in her ear as she hugged her. "You'll be fine, don't scare yourself into thinking that you won't be. Good Luck."

Caitlyn pulled back and Mitchie was surprised to see that Caitlyn was as near tears as she had ever been. "Thanks." She whispered.

Mitchie smiled back and went over to Shane who took her hand and the two of them left Caitlyn and Nate alone.

"Is she ok?" Shane asked Mitchie when they were out of ear shot.

Mitchie nodded. "Yeah- despite what she'll have you belief she's a bit fragile. Now where are we going?"

Shane smirked at her as they came onto the street where a limo was waiting for them. He looked over at Mitchie who raised her eyebrows at him. "We're going in this?" she breathed.

Shane laughed at her. "Obviously."

"Well not all of us can afford fancy limos." She replied shoving him slightly. He glared at her as he stumbled slightly. She smiled sweetly back and he rolled his eyes at her before opening the door for her.

"You're still not going to tell me where we're going are you?" she asked sliding in.

"And spoil the surprise no way." Shane got in beside her looking over at her to try and work out whether she was upset or not.

Mitchie seemed to read his mind. "I don't mind it's Caitlyn who hates secrets; she's always trying to get people to tell her what they've got her for Christmas and her birthday."

Shane laughed. "And do you tell her."

Mitchie laughed with him. "Nope- although she's almost tricked me into telling her several times. Will Nate tell her where they're going?"

Shane shook his head. "He wasn't planning on it but if she begs enough he probably will."

They spend the rest of the ride discussing their two friends and sharing stories with each other. By the time they had arrived they were both doubled over in laughter as Mitchie finished telling him about the time Caitlyn had thrown cake mixture over a customer when he told her that women weren't equal to men and their proper place was in the home.

"We're eating here!" Mitchie stared at the restaurant which overlooked a beach. The restaurant looked posh and expensive something which made Mitchie slightly nervous.

Her feelings must have been mirrored on her face as Shane wrapped an arm around her waist. "You'll be fine." He reassured her. She still looked slightly doubtful but started up the path leading to the door.

The conversation between them flowed easily as they ate the starter of mushroom soup and a game of twenty questions had evolved by the time they finished their soup. The simple questions like favourite colours had passed by the time the waiter brought their main course.

"Favourite school memory?" Shane asked digging into his steak.

Mitchie took a mouthful of salmon as she thought. A grin spread over her face as she reminisced. "Probably when me and Caitlyn put golden syrup in Tess's locker at school."

"Caitlyn's idea?" Shane asked. By now he knew which of the two girls was more likely to come up with a plan like that. Mitchie nodded still laughing to herself at the thought. "Wasn't that slightly mean?" Shane asked.

Mitchie's smiled faded. "Not when she tells you that it was your fault that your parents died." A

A look of horror crossed Shane's face. "Your parents?" he whispered.

She shook her head. "Caitlyn's- car crash. Caitlyn was in it too. That's why she has a scar down her arm. Tess told her that 2 weeks after their deaths when she believed it. It took us a long time to convince her otherwise. We filled her locker with syrup months later partly for revenge for that and partly because she's been a bitch to us and everyone for years. It was pretty funny though."

Shane grinned. "Your turn to ask a question."

Mitchie thought for a moment. "Favourite place to perform."

"New York." Shane said immediately. Mitchie raised an eyebrow at him. "Otherwise I'd never have met you."

"Cheesy." Mitchie laughed. Shane playfully glared at her and then shot back another question.

They spent the rest of the evening talking, laughing and exchanging stories as the sun set over the beach.

"It's a beautiful." Mitchie said as she caught sight of the sky the reds, oranges and yellows of the sky overlapping and spreading down to mingle with the blue and green of the sea.

Shane nodded in agreement and called the waiter over to pay the bill before ushering Mitchie out of the restaurant and towards the beach.

A comfortable silence spread between them as they walked hand in hand along the water edge. Shane seemed to be walking with a purpose although Mitchie couldn't quite work out where he was heading.

Finally they turned and headed up the beach towards the outcrop of rock which they perched upon as they watched the sun finally disappear from sight until it was dark and the moonlight shone over the water.

To Mitchie the whole date had seemed surreal. She had never thought that she would be on a date with the Shane Gray of Connect Three and she had certainly never thought that she would be falling for him. While the whole falling for someone was nothing new to her but there was something about Shane that was different from the others. It seemed he was falling for her too.

_**Hey guys, **_

_**Thanks for all the amazing reviews, I'm glad you like it. Next chapter is the Naitlyn date but I should warn you I had writers block for it and so it is chapter and I don't like it that much. **_

_**I'm going back to school tomorrow as it's been cancelled last week due to snow and ice- Britain is in the Big Freeze!!!! I have my GCSE mocks starting tomorrow and first is a 2 hour and 15 minutes English literature paper. Help!!!! **_

_**Thanks again for all your support- I love you guys. **_

_**Tacxxx**_


	4. Naitlyn Date

**Cupcakes, Brownies and Muffins **

**Chapter 4 **

_**I know this chapter is really short and I wanted it to be longer but I had huge writer block for this chapter. I thought I'd just make it short and move past it onto the next one which will be up soon. **_

There was silence as the door closed between Mitchie and Shane. Caitlyn glanced over Nate who was staring at the floor looking as nervous as Caitlyn felt. He looked up and met her eyes and both of them blushed and then laughed.

"Shall we go?" Nate asked her, hoping she wasn't thinking of cancelling their date.

Caitlyn nodded and grabbed her bag from where it hung on the back of the door unlike Mitchie ,who left all her belongings, Caitlyn's stuff all had a home.

She stretched her hand out towards Nate who took it and the two of them left the apartment in silence but this time a comfortable one.

They made their way down to the street and unlike Shane and Mitchie who went in a limo Nate's car was waiting for them. Mitchie had warned Nate that Caitlyn had an unexplainable hatred against limos.

"Where are we going?" she asked him smiling in appreciation as he opened the car door for her.

"Not telling you." Nate grinned at her as he made his way round to the driver's seat.

"Please..." she whined as he started the engine. "Please Nate."

After a couple of minutes of begging from Caitlyn, although Mitchie would have said she was whining, Nate gave in. "Picnic by the river followed by fireworks." He glanced over at her trying to read the expression on her face hoping desperately that she approved of his plans.

"Brilliant." She grinned. "I hate those fancy restaurants where you have to dress up smartly."

Nate laughed. "I thought you might. But that's where Shane's taking Mitchie."

"She loves that type of place." Caitlyn answered. "I don't really know why but she does. They're all full of snobby posh people who think they're the best thing that ever happened to earth."

"Have you ever talked to any of those people." Nate asked her raising his eyebrows.

"No." she muttered sheepishly. "But you can tell. Have you ever seen the looks they give the waiters and waitresses who serve them? Just because they have to work doesn't mean they're beneath them."

Nate laughed. "I think somewhere in that you just insulted your best friend and my brother."

Caitlyn blushed before recovering herself. "I mean most of those people." After a while they reached the river both of them feeling like they had known each other for ages.

"So what is your family like?" Nate asked as he finished telling her about the last family holiday they had had when they went to France.

The smile slid off Caitlyn's face and Nate looked worriedly at her. "My parents died when I was sixteen."

"I'm sorry." Nate wrapped his arm around her and she leant her head against his shoulder.

She shook off his apology realising that he was wishing he hadn't made her talk about it. "It's ok. I had my brother, Matt, there. He's brilliant." She regained her smile as she talked of her brother. Telling Nate about Matt's love for sport and the one on one games they had, Matt's love for food and how he often dropped round the café to try and get free meals, his job as a football coach for a local high school and his current girlfriend Alice who Caitlyn got on with brilliantly.

Like Mitchie and Shane they spend the rest of the evening finding out everything to know about each other. By the time the fireworks exploded over the river Caitlyn was curled up next to Nate his arm wrapped around her tightly. She had felt comfortable enough to talk more about the car crash that had given her the scar and killed her parents. In exchange Nate opened up to her about his diabetes. The fact that the two of them were happy enough to be sharing these things with each other made them both feel that this was real and forever.

When Nate dropped of Caitlyn Mitchie and Shane were already back and the two guys left the girls to excitedly share the details of their dates.

"Pyjamas, coffee, cake, details" Caitlyn ticked the four things off on her fingers before slipping into her room to change.

She was ready first and in her green pyjama shorts, grey tank top and black Rugby shirt with Gellar written across the back which belonged to Matt, her hair tied back into a messy bun Caitlyn made the coffee and put a selection of left over cakes on a plate.

"So how was it?" Mitchie asked coming out of her room and taking the plate of cakes and setting them down on the coffee table plopping down on the sofa and taking her coffee from Caitlyn.

Her best friend hesitated for a second. "Good- you."

Mitchie grinned. "Cait would I be to forward to say I think that I'm in love."

Caitlyn shook her head. "Probably but I wouldn't worry I think he's in love too."

"Really?" Mitchie questioned sitting up straight and almost spilling her coffee.

"Yeah- have you seen the way he looks at you?"

"Well have you seen the way Nate looks at you?" Mitchie asked, casting her eye over her friend to gauge her reaction.

Caitlyn bit her lip. "Mitch… I think he might be the one."

Mitchie heaved a sigh of relief. She had been worried that Caitlyn would try and push Nate away. "Well you had better tell Matt. You know how overprotective he is."

"Of both of us." Caitlyn added coming over to hug her friend, her sister.

Mitchie rolled her eyes. "You know I used to always want an older brother but after years of sharing yours I've changed my mind."

Caitlyn laughed. "You should have seen him on my first ever day at Kindergarten when Joshua Green stole my lunch and I came home in tears. He almost killed the boy there and then."

"Nate and Shane are going to have fun meeting him." Mitchie grinned at the thought of the two guys meeting the very overprotective Matt and hugged Caitlyn. "You know what they say they're not worth keeping if they can't face the older brother."

_**Thanks for reading and all the amazing reviews!!!  
Lots of love**_

_**Tacxxx**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. **

_**Hey **_

_**Thank you so much for all the reviews- I'm glad you liked Caitlyn and Nate's date I was worried that you wouldn't as I didn't think it was very well written. This chapter is the longest one so far (maybe in the whole thing I can't remember) and Shane and Nate are introduced to Matt. **_

_**Enjoy! **_

_**Tacxxx**_

It was a couple of weeks after Caitlyn and Mitchie's first dates and phone calls and texts were flying backwards and forwards between them arranging more dates out and just general talking.

Mitchie was currently serving the long line of customers while Caitlyn was decorating her third lot of cupcakes for the day singing along to the radio. Matt and Alice were dropping around the bakery after closing time. Caitlyn had yet to tell her brother about Nate especially when she thought that he might be the one. She was dwelling on what his reaction may be as she finished the last cake and carried the tray out to the front.

"Do you want a hand?" Caitlyn asked as Mitchie handed a customer their coffee.

Mitchie shook her head. "No thanks I can cope. You should have a break you've been working non-stop since we got here." She turned to face her friend and cast an expert eye over her. "What's on your mind?"

Caitlyn shrugged and grabbed the plastic tub from the counter and made her way out to the tables collecting the empty cups and plates, stopping to chat to her customers. Mitchie watched her from over the coffee machine. She knew exactly what was on her mind. Matt was notoriously overprotective and Caitlyn was worried about spilling the beans to her brother.

By closing time both Caitlyn and Mitchie were exhausted. Neither of them had had a break all day. "Coffee?" Caitlyn asked.

"Please. I don't think I can go another second with caffeine."

Caitlyn wearily made the two of them coffee and slid two cupcakes onto a plate and joined the Mitchie at the table. The two of them ate in silence. "Caitlyn!" Matt yelled as he barged into the shop. He swept Caitlyn off her chair and swung her round.

Alice laughed at her boyfriend and greeted Mitchie more quietly before she too was swung into a bear hug by Matt and Caitlyn hugged Alice.

"Ok who are they?" Alice asked once they were all settled with more coffee and cakes.

"Who?" Caitlyn asked.

"The guys you've been seeing." She clarified. "You've both got that first date glow about you. Don't even think about denying it." She warned them as she noticed the glance between as they attempted to deny it.

"You wouldn't believe us if we told us." Mitchie muttered. Matt raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth but shut it quickly as he caught sight of the look on Alice's face.

Caitlyn caught the look as well. "Matt seriously we've been on one date with them and they were fine. They picked us up and then took us home afterwards."

"So who are they?" Alice bounced in he seat impatiently as Matt still looked sceptical, no one they dated would live up to his standard, and Caitlyn glared at him.

Mitchie cast a glance between Caitlyn and her brother and realised that as normal they were having an argument, thankfully it was one of their silent ones not the yelling ones, and so she would have to spill the beans to Alice.

"Shane and Nate Gray from Connect Three."

"Oh My God. You're joking. When did you meet, where did they take you?" Alice fired questions at Mitchie.

"Celebrities." Matt yelled before Mitchie could answer the questions. "What were you thinking? They could so easily hurt you and what about the paparazzi do they know?"

"Matt calm down." Caitlyn hissed at her brother. "They came in here for lunch. We got talking. They asked us out and Shane took Mitchie to some fancy restaurant and Nate took me for a picnic. The paparazzi don't know at all. We like them and I think they like us. You should see how Shane looks at Mitchie."

"And Nate at Caitlyn." Mitchie added. "Matt they've been texting us all day. We'll be fine."

"But they'll hurt you." Matt protested.

"Anyone could hurt us. Anyone could hurt you. We have to take risks. If we hadn't then we wouldn't be sitting here today." Caitlyn rolled her eyes draining her coffee cup in exasperation.

Seeing that Matt was about to protest again and as it could well turn into one of the siblings fierce arguments Alice interrupted. "Matt how about you meet them first."

"And try not to scare them off." Caitlyn muttered under her breath smiling sweetly at her brother as he glared at her.

"Fine." He sighed in defeat.

"Thank you!" Caitlyn threw her arms around him. "I'll phone them and see if they can come to lunch or dinner with you guys soon."

"We should be going." Alice said finishing her cake. "I really shouldn't come and see you two this often. I always eat way too much. How do you stay so thin?"

The two girls laughed in response and Matt took the opportunity to steer his girlfriend out the shop before the conversation could turn to shopping, clothes and make up as it frequently did.

The next day Matt had conveniently dropped in at the bakery again in the hopes that Connect Three would drop round again to see the girls.

He was in luck. Shane and Mitchie were sitting at the table by the counter and Matt guessed Nate was out in the kitchen with Caitlyn. The bakery was fairly quiet and Matt recognised a few of the regulars and smiled as he caught their eye.

"Mitchie." He called making his way over to her and Shane.

"Hey." She greeted standing up to give him a hug. "Matt this is Shane, Shane this is Matt Caitlyn's brother."

"Nice to meet you." Shane shook Matt's hand.

"You too." Matt replied and refrained from saying anything else as he caught sight of the glare on Mitchie's face.

"Caitlyn and Nate are in the kitchen." Mitchie waved him through.

"Cait!" Matt swept her up into a hug making her scream in surprise and drop the bag of sugar on the flour which split and spilt sugar everywhere.

"You owe me for that." She glared at her brother who smirked at her in return.

"Seeing as Caitlyn's not going to introduce me I'm Matt, her brother."

"Nate." The two guys shook hands awkwardly and the kitchen descended into silence as Caitlyn swept the sugar up.

"Honestly." She straightened up her hands on her hips looking exasperated. "Matt you can never normally stop talking and Nate you perform in front of thousands of people most nights. There is absolutely no need for awkward silences. Now if there are no customers we can close up for the night and then we can all go for dinner."

They both stared at her and she rolled her eyes. "Now!"

"Are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into." Matt whispered as they made their way out of the kitchen.

"I heard that!" Caitlyn yelled after them. She turned her attention back to clearing away the ingredients, stacking the dishwasher and wiping down the surfaces, pretending that she couldn't hear Matt's older brother talk with Shane and Nate. She presumed that Mitchie was clearing away the counter and like her was pretending to ignore them.

Taking a deep breath she entered the shop area and was relieved to find her brother talking with Shane and Nate as though they were old friends. She slipped her apron off and hung it up next to Mitchie's and went to help her friend finish clearing away.

"You three up for dinner?" Mitchie asked once everything was tidied away.

"Sure, where do you want to go?" Matt asked breaking off in his conversation with the other two about baseball.

"That Italian place near you we could meet Alice there." Caitlyn suggested. "Is that ok with everyone?" They all agreed and once they locked up they headed out along the streets. Shane ad Mitchie were hand in hand leading the way while the other three trailed behind Nate's arm wrapped around Caitlyn's waist.

"That went off well." Mitchie commented as she flopped onto the sofa and Caitlyn switched the kettle on.

"Yeah thank god. They all seemed to get on well."

Mitchie rolled her eyes. "I take it you missed it when they arranged to go to a baseball game together."

"They did!" Caitlyn's face lit up and she handed Mitchie a mug of steaming coffee and curled up on the chair with her own. "That's great."

"Especially as we're going shopping with Alice while they go."

"Well the next stage is for them to meet your parents."

"One step ahead of you. After work on Friday we're going down to see them." Mitchie grinned. "And I was talking to Shane today."

Really you can talk." Caitlyn muttered sarcastically, dodging the pillow Mitchie sent her way.

"And if you and Nate are ok with it then we're going to announce it to the public soon." Mitchie continued as if there had been no interruption.

Caitlyn's smile faltered. "Yeah we talked about it today too."

"But." Mitchie raised her eyebrows at her recognising the look on her face. It seemed that Caitlyn was still having doubts.

She hesitated, taking a sip of her coffee and focusing her attention on her feet. "What if it all goes wrong? The press would be all over us as well as them."

Mitchie smiled gently at her friend who was still refusing to meet her eyes. "Do you love him?" Caitlyn raised her eyebrows at her. "Sorry stupid question. You just have trust that love will get us through everything and we probably will have press everywhere especially when it all goes wrong but that will happen in every relationship. Everything will be fine."

"But what if Nate doesn't love me?" Caitlyn asked glancing up.

"And I thought I just asked you a stupid question. Cait the guy is head over heels for you." Mitchie comforted her. She knew Caitlyn had issues with love which reassured her because Caitlyn was confident and independent and had no problems with anything else. To be fair to her though both girls had had bad experiences with love it was just that Mitchie trusted people more easily and so trusted Shane to rebuild her trust in love.

Caitlyn smiled thankfully at her friend, reassured and happier before draining her coffee. "I'm off to bed; it's been a long day."

"Are you two Caitlyn Gellar and Mitchie Torres, girlfriends of Nate and Shane from Connect Three" A teenage girl asked the two of them. They had announced their relationship with Nate and Shane the previous day.

"Yes." Mitchie answered cautiously handing the girl her coffee. The girl in question scowled at them before flouncing out the shop. The two friends glanced at each other before bursting out laughing. They'd had people asking them all day and they had had a few reactions like this one but most people hadn't been too bothered by it, apart from the couple of times when the paparazzi had turned up.

"It's good to see you two finally happy." One of their regulars, Natalie, commented as she came in to buy her lunch.

"What's that supposed to mean." Mitchie asked exchanging a confused glance with Caitlyn as she slid the coffee and sandwich over the counter. "We haven't been miserable."

"No but you haven't been ecstatically happy."

"Few people are." Caitlyn murmured.

"True but you two seem way happier than you have been." She replied smiling at the two of them. "Which you two deserve." Most of their customers would agree with her on this. The bakery was rarely closed even on weekends and it was always freshly stocked, clean and welcoming and both girls were always upbeat and cheerful even when they had had some personal tragedy or some failing when it came to love.

Caitlyn left Mitchie to serve the queue of customers and returned to the kitchen to ice the batch of cupcakes that had just come out of the kitchen. Her thoughts turned to Nate as they so frequently did. She had never felt the way she did about Nate and at first this thought had scared her but now she couldn't think of a time when she had been happier. She had always been a private person and for a long time she had only had three people that she was close too, Mitchie, Matt and Alice. But Nate had broken down her defences and she was pretty certain that what she felt for him was love.

"Are those cakes done yet?" Mitchie called through to the kitchen bringing Caitlyn out of her thoughts. She swore quietly to herself and told Mitchie they were nearly done. It wasn't a complete lie she just hadn't started icing them yet. Sighing she reached up into the cupboard and got down an empty ice cream carton filled with cake decorations. She selected a box of sugar flowers and edible glitter to decorate the cakes with.

"About time too." Mitchie commented as Caitlyn bought the tray out and started arranging them on the stand.

"Sorry I got…"

"Sidetracked." Mitchie finished for. "Daydreaming about Nate were we." Caitlyn blushed and returned to the kitchen hurriedly. "You didn't deny it." Mitchie called after her and then turned her attention to the waiting customer.

"What time are the guys coming over?" Mitchie asked as the two girls entered their apartment.

"Half an hour." Caitlyn replied hanging up her coat and making her way straight to her room so she could spend the next half an hour in her own company- or in this case the company of her favourite literary characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy. Mitchie had offered to cook tonight knowing that Caitlyn welcomed a break from cookery.

"Hey Cait." Nate greeted her as he entered her room.

"Hey." She grinned at him her face lighting up at the sight of him. She rolled over and put her favourite book on her bedside table and then sat up, patting the place beside her to invite her to join him.

Nate slid his arm around her shoulders she leant her head against his shoulder as they exchanged trivial chatter. "Caitlyn." Nate changed the subject hesitantly. "I know we haven't known each other for a long time but I think, no I know…I love you."

Caitlyn bit her lip. This was the moment she had half looked forward too and half feared for years but now it had actually come she didn't know why she had feared it. "I love you too." She smiled softly at him.

"Caitlyn!" Mitchie came charging in through the door.

"What have you done to my kitchen?" Caitlyn leapt up.

Mitchie gave her a strange look. "Nothing dinner's always ready. And it's not just your kitchen we share it. But Shane just told me he loved me."

"Did you two plan this?" Caitlyn asked Nate raising her eyebrows at him.

"No but I knew he did." He admitted.

Mitchie looked between them trying to understand the conversation. "Did he say the same to you?" she asked. Caitlyn nodded a wide smile spreading across her face. Shane made a face at Nate as there girlfriends screamed in excitement and hugged each other.

The sound of something boiling over brought the two girls out of their excitement. "What have you done to my kitchen?" Caitlyn mock glared at her friend. Mitchie stuck her tongue out at Caitlyn and returned to the kitchen.

"Everything's ok." She called back as Caitlyn came to join her to make sure she was right. She was, everything was just as she should be.

_**Thank you for reading and I'd love to hear your thought on this chapter. **_

_**Tacxxx**_


	6. A Wedding and a Proposal

**Chapter 6 **

**Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but OCS and plot. **

_**Hey, **_

_**Sorry for the long wait but my laptop had to be sent away to be fixed for a week and then it wouldn't let me log in. I am also not getting messages from fanfiction but I am getting it sorted. This is a big gap in time and is kind of the first part of the epilogue. Next chapter is the last one. Thanks to everyone who reviewed etc… I love you guys!!!! **_

_**Hope you enjoy this one. **_

_**Tacxxx**_

"I can't believe it's today." Mitchie breathed sinking down onto the sofa into her pyjamas.

"I know, who would have thought that two years ago we would have met Shane in our bakery" Caitlyn agreed handing her friend a cup of coffee and joining her on the sofa crossing her feet under her. Both girls were still in their pyjamas and at Mitchie's childhood home. The bakery was closed for the weekend for Mitchie's wedding.

"Honestly you two should be getting ready." Connie scolded them catching sight of the two of them relaxing on the day of Mitchie's big day.

"Come on then." Mitchie leapt up and grabbed Caitlyn's hand and dragged her up the stairs to her room. Connie followed them shaking her head as Mitchie's excited screams and Caitlyn's yells of protests floated back to her.

"You two look wonderful." Steve commented as Caitlyn descended the stairs followed by Mitchie. Caitlyn was dressed in a floor length emerald green dress as Mitchie's maid of honour. Mitchie looked stunning in her white gown with her hair pulled up elegantly into a bun. Caitlyn had left her curly wild hair loose so it tumbled down onto her shoulders.

Connie noticed with a wry smile that Caitlyn looked more nervous than Mitchie did. Her daughter had a look of almost childlike excitement plastered on her face and her eyes sparkled with love.

Caitlyn looked thrilled for her friend but behind her smile Connie knew she was nervous and scared. A few weeks ago Caitlyn and Nate had had an argument. No one knew what had been said between them but it had put both of them in a foul mood for days and they hadn't seen or spoken to each other since.

"Are we ready then?" Steve asked. "You know Mitch it's not too late to change your mind."

"Dad!" Mitchie protested sticking her tongue out at him in a momentary return to her childhood days.

"She's still you'll little girl." Connie murmured to her husband and kissed his cheek. Steve smiled softly at her hoping that his daughter's marriage would be as successful as his.

"Come on then let's get you married." Steve offered his arm to his daughter and they stepped out the house and made their way towards the limousine Shane had sent to transport them to the church.

"It'll be alright." Connie reassured Caitlyn who gave her a weak smile and then in a very un-Caitlyn moment threw her arms around Connie who returned the gesture until Caitlyn was ready to let go.

"Come on!" Mitchie called impatiently from outside.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. "Has she ever been patient?" Connie laughed and shook her head and the two of them joined the others.

Connie made her way down the aisle of the church aware that in mere minutes her daughter would be following in her footsteps. She smiled in acknowledgment to friends and family and spotted quite a few people that she recognised from films and CD covers. For the first time it properly hit her. Her daughter was marrying a celebrity.

She joined Matt and Alice, who at Mitchie's insistence, were sitting in the front pew reserved for the closest family. In some respect they were Connie and Steve had taken both Caitlyn and Matt under their wing when their parents had died and so Matt was very much the older brother Mitchie had never had.

She turned her attention to the three young men at the front. At first glance you would have thought Nate was the groom. He was incredibly pale and was shaking a bit. Obviously he, like Caitlyn, was nervous about seeing her after the fight. Shane was unusually calm and he and Jason were the picture of happiness and ease.

The sound of the organ alerted the people present to the bride at the back of the church and they all stood as Mitchie and Steve began their descent down the aisle followed by Caitlyn.

"My little sister is married." Matt spotted Shane and Mitchie talking to some people he didn't recognise and swooped down on them pulling Mitchie into a hug.

"Matt I'm talking." She pushed him away. "Go and talk to your real sister she looks a bit miserable. I'll come and talk to you in a minute."

Shane exchanged amused glances with Matt as he walked away to Caitlyn who was sitting under a tree crossed legged looking thoroughly miserable.

"Sorry." Mitchie apologised to Tess Tyler who she was meeting for the first time and both of them were having trouble making polite conversation with her. Thankfully Tess made her excuses a few minutes later and the couple were left alone for a minute before they were accosted by some distant relations of Shane.

Matt was joined by Alice as they made their way over to Caitlyn. "Is she ok?" Alice asked.

"If she's not Nate is in a hell of a lot of trouble." Matt snarled as he glared over at Nate was currently talking to his Jason and their parents. Nate looked almost as bad as Caitlyn did which was why Alice had restrained him from having a go at Nate earlier on.

"I'm fine." Caitlyn muttered as she heard them approaching.

"Sure." Matt replied sarcastically.

"Matt seriously I'm fine. Go and find someone else to bother." She snapped. "I'm going to go and talk to Ella." She straightened her dress and pushed her hair out of her face before walking over to Ella who was talking to another girl who she thought was called Peggy.

"That's it I'm going to kill him." Matt muttered furiously watching his sister walk over to Ella.

"Leave it." Alice warned dragging him over to a couple of Mitchie's cousins who they knew well due to all the Torres family get togethers which he and Caitlyn and later on Alice were always invited too.

"Caitlyn." Shane intercepted her on her way over to Ella and Peggy.

"Shane." She acknowledged continuing on her way.

He rolled his eyes and grabbed her arm. "Caitlyn please just talk to Nate he's miserable without you."

"Well I've hardly been the happiest person ever." She snapped back. "Anyway why can't he talk to me?"

Shane rolled his eyes again. "Cait he's been trying to call you since it happened and you've been ignoring him."

Caitlyn turned to look at Nate. "I'll think about it."

"Thanks." Shane gave her a brief hug and gently shoved her in the direction of Nate.

"Well done." Mitchie slipped her arm round Shane's waist as they watched Caitlyn walk over towards Nate. She turned round to glare at the newly married couple but carried on walking.

He was currently talking to his grandparents and she stood to one side waiting for his conversation to be finished. He noticed her waiting to talk to him and quickly made his excuses. The two of them made their way in silence to a more private area of the grounds where the reception was being hosted.

"Cait..."

"Nate…"

They both started to talk at the same time. "No you go first…" The two of them said in unison avoiding each other's eyes. There was another awkward silence between them.

"Caitlyn I'm sorry. It was insensitive and I was just in a bad mood and I took it out on you and I'm sorry. These past few weeks have been each absolute hell without you and I'm sorry."

"Nate you're rambling." Caitlyn cut him off and wrapped her arms around him.

"Sorry." He muttered sheepishly hugging her back and kissing her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled up on him. "And I'm sorry I overreacted."

"Marry me?" Nate bit his lip looking nervously down at her.

"What?" Caitlyn looked startled.

"No forget it. It's stupid." He muttered blushing and looking down at the ground.

"You mean you don't want to marry me?" Caitlyn asked pulling away out of his embrace.

"No… I mean yes I do… but I wasn't sure. Yes..."

"Because I want to marry you." she interrupted. Nate grinned happily and leant down to kiss her.

"Shane." Mitchie hissed.

"What?"

"Caitlyn and Nate." She gestured towards the couple walking hand in hand towards them.

"Looks like they're back together." Shane commented. "Thank god. You look stunning." He added.

"Thanks." Mitchie kissed his cheek. "You don't look to bad yourself." She teased. "And I gathered that they were back together but doesn't that look like a ring on her finger."

"You don't think…" Shane trailed off. The two of them exchanged glances and then sprinted over towards them.

"What happened?" Mitchie shrieked as she caught Caitlyn in a hug.

"We're getting married." Caitlyn yelped almost strangling her friend in her excitement.

Shane smirked at his brother. "Are you sure you want to marry her."

Nate glared at him. "Well you married Mitchie."

Shane raised his eyebrows and then gave his brother a quick hug. "Congratulations."

"What's going on?" Matt and Alice came over to the group who were attracting a few strange looks but most people knew them well and their loud and excited behaviour did not surprise them.

Nate glanced nervously at Caitlyn realising that Matt was not too pleased with him. Caitlyn smiled reassuringly and took his hand. "We're engaged." She calmly told her brother hoping that he wouldn't make a scene.

She was disappointed. "What... but…he hurt…argument…" he spluttered while his wife elbowed him and hugged Caitlyn and then Nate.

Matt was still gaping at them when Alice turned around. "Honestly Matt they had an argument and now they're engaged. If I recall rightly we had an argument a few weeks before you proposed."

"But she's my little sister." He protested.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. "Would you rather I ended up alone with fifteen cats for company." Shane snorted but sent an apologetic look in the sibling's direction once Mitchie softly punched him and Nate glared at him.

"I suppose not." Matt grinned at her. "Congratulations." He swung his sister round in a hug and then ignoring Nate's outstretched hand hugged him too.

"Are you done stealing my day yet?" Mitchie asked her best friend.

"Probably not." Caitlyn grinned. "Now if you'll excuse me we're going to talk to Nate and yours parents."

Mitchie laughed and shook her head in exasperation as she watched her best friend drag her fiancée over to their families who were talking to each other.

"Come on Shane we've got people to talk too." Mitchie copied Caitlyn and grabbed Shane's hand and dragged him over to talk to some of his relatives.

"Do we have too?" he whined. "They're boring."

Mitchie turned and gave him an exasperated looks. "They're your cousins."

"I love you." Shane stopped them both and kissed her cheek.

"Love you too." Mitchie replied thinking just how lucky she was to have married him. "But come on we've got to talk to your cousins. And I saw that." She added as Shane made a face at them.


	7. Epilogue

**Chapter Seven **

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing- how sad :( _**

_**I know the events in this chapter and slightly over exaggerated and unlikely but this is fanfiction and it makes what I think at least a sweet chapter (hope you agree). So please no reviews about it being unrealistic. Thanks for all the amazing reviews you have given me. I never thought this story would be so well reviewed. This is the last chapter :(**_

_**Tac xxx**_

"How was the honeymoon?" Mitchie asked as Caitlyn entered the bakery after her honeymoon. She came round the counter from where she had been making the coffee.

Caitlyn grinned at her and gave her a hug. "Brilliant. Spain was amazing." She laughed. "How were things here?"

"Good apart from the lack of cupcakes. They had to make do with sandwiches and coffee but we didn't lose any of the regular customers but I'm sure everyone will be glad to see you back."

"Me or the cupcakes." Caitlyn teased sipping her coffee. "Are you and Shane coming round tonight?" Shane and Mitchie now lived in a house on the outskirts of New York while Nate and Caitlyn were temporarily living in Mitchie and Caitlyn's flat while they looked for another house.

"Sure." Mitchie agreed. "I missed you and in answer to your previous question they missed you and the cupcakes."

Caitlyn grinned at her and headed into the kitchen to start on the first batch of the day. "How's married life treating you then?" she called as Mitchie pulled out the sandwich fillings and bread.

"Only getting better and better." Mitchie smiled. "I'm pregnant."

"Oh my god!" Caitlyn shrieked dropping a bowl and running into give her friend a hug. "How far along are you? How did Shane take it? Can I be godmother?"

Mitchie rolled her eyes. "Two months, Shane's probably as excited as you at this precise moment but all day long and of course you'll be godmother."

"Thank you!" Caitlyn has started bouncing up and down which was only something she did when she was very hyper or excited.

"Go on. We've been without cupcakes for long enough." Mitchie gently shoved her friend towards the kitchen. "Oh and mum wants all four of us to go for Sunday lunch on Sunday."

"Funny that." Caitlyn rolled her eyes. "But yeah we can come unless Nate books us in for something else today."

"I doubt that." Mitchie gave her friend an exasperated look. "Shane's asking him today as well. You see they work together along with Jason. They're in a band."

Caitlyn stuck her tongue out at her. "There's no need to be sarcastic. And is Shane really likely to remember to tell Nate that."

"True." Mitchie agreed. "Go on anyone would think you didn't like cooking."

Caitlyn grinned at her best friend and disappeared into the kitchen to clear up the glass fragments from when she had dropped the bowl in her excitement.

"Ow!" she shrieked as she put her hand on a jagged piece of glass which buried into her skin staining her skin as crimson red. She stared at her hand as the amount of blood increased feeling slightly dizzy and unable to recall her first aid training.

"Cait!" Mitchie came running in skidding to halt at the sight of her chalk white best friend who was cradling her hand. She grabbed the nearest tea towel and wrapped it round her friend's hand. "God Cait this is deep we need to go to hospital."

Caitlyn opened her mouth to protest but Mitchie cut her off again. "Cait we're going. Let me just write a note explaining why we're closed. And yes I'm coming with you."

She scribbled a note out quickly, stuck it to the door and then pulled her friend up off her kitchen floor and wrapped her arm around her friend and supported her out to her car.

"Do you want me to call Nate?" Mitchie asked as they drew up at A&E. Caitlyn shook her head trying to keep the tears at bay. "Cait are you going to faint?" she glanced sideways at her friend who was incredibly pale from loss of blood.

"No." Caitlyn muttered opening the car door and promptly fainting as she fell out the car.

"Cait!" Mitchie shrieked.

"Mitchie!" Nate tore down the hospital towards his sister-in-law followed by Shane and Jason. "What happened? Where is she? How is she?"

"She dropped a bowl and then when she tried to clear it up she got glass in her hand so we went to the hospital so they could get it out as it was in really deep but she was loosing lots of blood and then fainted as she got out the car and hit her head and I think she also broke her arm but she went straight into wherever they take people and I haven't seen her for two hours." Mitchie's voice broke and the tears spilled over.

"She'll be ok Mitch." Shane reassured her as she buried her face in his chest. "Everything will be fine." He looked over at his brothers. Nate was staring at the door through which Mitchie had indicated Caitlyn had been taken through.

Jason was watching him carefully knowing that soon he would crack. He was right. Seconds later Nate turned away from the door and threw his arms around his eldest brother. "She is going to be ok isn't she?"

Jason exchanged looks with Shane and tightened his grip on his brother. For all Nate seemed to be the organised, strong member he still needed his brother's reassurance. "She's strong Nate. I doubt she'll let this beat her."

They waited in silence which was only broken by the sounds of Mitchie's sobs. They had retreated to the chairs lining the walls. Mitchie and Shane sharing one with the other two sitting next to them Jason's arm still wrapped protectively around Nate's shoulders.

"Mr Gray?" A doctor came out of the door opposite them. Nate sprung to his feet and opened his mouth to question the doctor before faltering.

"She's going to be ok." He started recognising the look on the faces of the four people in front of them. They all visibly relaxed as he continued. "We've got the glass out of her hand although we had trouble stopping the bleeding. She's also broken her arm and has mild concussion from where she hit her head. We'll need to keep her in for a couple of nights but she's going to be fine. You can all go in and see her now."

He didn't have to tell them twice. Mitchie and Nate were through the door before Shane and Jason had a chance to comprehend what the doctor had just said. Caitlyn was asleep a bandage round her head, hand and opposite arm.

"Caity." Nate whispered rushing to her side. "What have you done to yourself?" He pulled up a chair by her bed and took her good hand in his. Mitchie smiled softly at the display of affection and sat on the end of her best friend's bed leaving the other chair for Shane. Jason stood behind Nate his hand resting supportively on his shoulder.

"She'll wake up soon." The doctor promised and then shut the door leaving them to it

"Do you think we should call Matt?" Shane asked.

"I'll do it." Jason volunteered.

"He's on holiday with Alice in Greece at the moment but call his mobile. And tell him there's no need to rush home. Caitlyn would kill us for telling him and ruining their holiday which they're desperately in need of." Mitchie called after him.

"Nate." Caitlyn eye's flittered open.

"Cait!" Nate breathed a smile crossing his face for the first time that afternoon. "Don't you ever do that to me again. Are you feeling ok?"

"Like shit." She muttered. "My hand and arm ache and I feel dizzy and I think I'm going to be sick." Shane quickly grabbed the bowl under the bed and held it out. He was just in time as seconds later Caitlyn threw up.

She smiled weakly at Shane in thanks and then a look of panic crossed her face. "Where's Mitchie!" she demanded her grip on Nate's hand tightening.

"I'm right here." Mitchie slipped off the end of the bed and came round to sit beside her friend. "And I'm ok." She foresaw Caitlyn's next question.

"Jason, Matt..?"

"Jason's just gone to phone Matt." Nate told her stroking her hair. "He's telling him not to cut their holiday short. Cait stop worrying it's not going to help you get better. Everything's fine."

"What about the shop? I can't take any more time off."

"You haven't got a lot of choice." Mitchie told her. "You can't cook with only one arm."

"And no offence but you can't cook." Caitlyn groaned and then leant over and was sick again in the bowl.

"I think it's the drugs they've given you." Shane commented looking worriedly at his sister-in-law. "Look Cait relax. I'm sure our mom will come and cook for you while you can't and you can help Mitchie out the front doing the things that you can."

"I never thought I'd say this but that was a good idea." Nate grinned thankfully at his brother as Mitchie nodded in agreement. "What do you think Cait?"

They all could all see the internal argument she was having with herself. She didn't have anything against her mother-in-law; they got along well but Caitlyn hated being ill or thought of as weak and was desperate to be ok enough to work. "Fine." She muttered.

"Good." Shane agreed. "Now I'm going to find a doctor to see if it those drugs making you sick and if we can change them." He bent over and kissed her forehead. "Get some sleep Cait."

"Thanks Shane." She smiled weakly at him and then sunk back against the pillows and took Shane's advice.

"Caitlyn sit down and take a break." Mitchie instructed around three o'clock on her first day back at work.

"I'm fine." Caitlyn protested although she was feeling slightly dizzy.

"Caitlyn sit down." Her mother-in-law called from the kitchen, her cupcakes were going down incredibly well. "Nate will freak if we don't make you take a break."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes but dragged a chair up behind and the counter and watched Mitchie serve the customers. She was enjoying being at the front of the shop having more to do with the customers. However, she was not enjoying being under constant surveillance from Mitchie and Denise and all she was able to do was clear tables and serve cakes. She couldn't even make coffee.

But now she was absolutely exhausted and all she really wanted to do was to go home. Her arm was aching worse than it had yesterday when she had been at home doing absolutely nothing.

"You ok Cait?" Mitchie asked noticing her friend's tired expression and the pain she was in was written across her face.

"Yeah." She muttered.

"Really?" Mitchie looked at her doubtfully.

Caitlyn sighed and tried to bit back her tears. "No." she whispered. "I want to go home." Mitchie came over and pulled her best friend into a hug.

"I'll call Nate to pick you up." Mitchie smiled at her friend. "We can hold the fort here."

Caitlyn looked slightly doubtful. "She's right you know." Denise came through with a tray of brownies. "Cait just come in till lunch tomorrow."

"But Nate's got work." She protested hating the fact that she had to rely on him so much despite the fact that she really wanted to go home.

"But you need him and you're his wife." Denise told her firmly. "They're way ahead of schedule for the new album so they can all take time off."

"He's on his way." Mitchie told her. "And Shane's coming to help us out here which he will do tomorrow as well."

Nate and Shane entered the bakery to find Mitchie clearing tables and Caitlyn slumped at a table fast asleep.

"Hey." Mitchie greeted them kissing Shane on the cheek. "Nate don't let her come in all day tomorrow."

He nodded and called a greeting through to his mum before going over to his wife. "Cait." He shook her shoulder trying to wake her up. Realising that he wasn't going to have much success as she was a deep sleeper he lifted her into his arms and carried her out to his car.

The sudden transition into the cold air woke her up. "You ok?" Nate asked her.

"Glad you're here." She murmured. Nate smiled softly down at her and stopped walking for a second to kiss her forehead.

"I love you." He told her looking down only to find her asleep again but with a slight smile on her face. He was certain she had heard him.

She was still asleep when they reached their apartment. Rolling his eyes at her ability to sleep anywhere he picked her up bridal style and carried her up the five flight of stairs and somehow managed to open the front door.

He set her down on the sofa and then went over to the kitchen to turn the kettle on. He made the two of them a coffee and then came over to sit beside his wife.

"Nate?" He looked over to her not realising she was awake although he should have known few things could wake her up but the smell of coffee was one of them.

"Yes sweetheart." He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him.

She smiled up at him, took a sip of her coffee and leant her head against his chest. "What are we going to do for the rest of the day?"

Nate shrugged. "Watch a film?" She nodded in agreement and the two of them descended into an argument over which film to watch. They could never agree and it usually ended with one of them unhappy with the choice the other had made. But as the film went on they usually enjoyed it anyway.

This time Nate had won mainly because Caitlyn hadn't the energy to argue with him. Caitlyn glared at him but grabbed her copy of Gone with the Wind and snuggled into Nate keeping half an eye on the TV.

"Thank god that's over." Caitlyn muttered as the credits rolled.

"You hardly watched it; you were too engrossed with Gone with the Wind." Nate childishly stuck his tongue back out at her.

"Too engrossed with the classics." She returned the gesture. "What do you want for dinner?"

"I'll cook." Nate offered. "You can't with one arm. Which is why you aren't at work."

"I'd rather not be poisoned." Caitlyn teased standing up as he made to tickle her.

"I've never cooked for you before." Nate protested pulling her back onto his lap and tickling her anyway.

"I know but I've heard reports of it from your brothers and parents. Nate stop it." She shrieked wriggling off his lap and making for the kitchen taking advantage of her head start.

She wasn't quick enough. Nate's arms encircled her waist holding her back. "Not so fast. We'll do pizza. All we have to do is shove it in the oven."

"Fine." Caitlyn grumbled. She hated not cooking meals every night and pizza was the only ready meal she would let anywhere near her kitchen. Nate laughed at her face and set her to washing lettuce for the salad which was practically the only thing she could.

"I love you." Nate came up behind her wrapping his arms around her and rested his chin on her head.

"I love you too." She murmured.

He turned her face towards her and kissed her gently. "I don't know what I would have done without you." he told her as they broke apart, resting her forehead against his.

"Live off crap food." She joked. "It was blessing in disguise when you, Shane and Jason came in for lunch. For all of us."

_**Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!!! If you want any more great stories then check out my favourites they're all amazing and as I have soooo many I'm sure you'll find something you'll like. **_

**_Thanks for all the wonderful support!! I love you guys!!!_**

**_Lots of love_**

**_Tacxxx_**


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